Clothes-wringer mechanism



Sept. 25 1923. 1,468,814

w. H. HUENERGARDT CLOTHES WRINGER MECHANI SM Filed Oct. 22 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN\\IENTOR WA. l /us/vfn eaaor,

ATTORNEYS Sept. 25,1923. 1,468,834

W. H. HUENERGARDT I CLOTHES WRINGER MECHANISM Filed Oct. 22, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 141/1! Hue/van e/mox,

ATTORNEYS Sept. 25 1923. 3,468,814

W. H. HUENERGARDT CLOTHES WRINGER MECHANISM Filed Oct. 22. 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jfa TTORNEY Patented Sept. 25, 1923.

WILLIAM HAROLD HUENERGABD'I, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR T0 GEO. O. W. i

' FAB, OI LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

cLo'rHEs-wamerm .mnenamsm.

-.Appl1cation filed October 22, 1919. Serial No. 832,533.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HAROLD Hunmmeann'r, a citizen of the United States,'residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and Improved Clothes-Wringer Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention, which in its generic nature has reference to improvements in clothes wringers of the standard types, is more especially designed for producing an improved wrmger. mechanism adapted for connection with power driven clothes laundry or washing machines, particularly of the type generally disclosed in-my copending application for patent Serial No. 332,532, filed on even date with this application.-

Primarily my present invention has for 'its object to provide an improved power wringer mechanism, which is absolutely Safe to operate, simple and durable in construction'and certain in its operation.--

Wooden wringers now on the market are provided with safety devices but from experience they have been found cumbersome and not always reliable, since wood changes shape and thebolts and screws, in time, work loose.

Another purpose of my invention is to provide an'impro'ved wringer mechanism of the type stated in which the only thing above the rolls is a safety release that is always in the right position for instant use. i

Furthermore, my present invention comprehends an improved construction of'the rolls, whereby in case the clothes become entangled or anaceident. happens, the upper roll may be instantly freed from the.

lower roll, and in which an improved means is also provided, whereby the wringer elements may beeasily assembled without disturbing the pressure adjusting devices.

' Again, my present invention embodies means to release the pressureof the wringer I elements-or rolls, when the wringer mechanism is not in use, which means'are so SIIH- ple and easy of manipulation that the operator will not hesitate to manipulate the same and which are capable of being so:

handled that the operator will become accustomed to using the release and naturally know how to manipulate the same in an emergency.

Another andessential feature of my invention is to provide certain pressure applying means-which will take care of any scription, specifically pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accom-- panying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved wringer mechanism, the parts being shown in their operative condition. Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof. Figure 3 is an end elevation of the parts shown-in Figures 1 and 2 and looking in the direction of the arrow on Figure 1.

Figure a is an end view similar to Figure 3, the upper roll carrying frame being indicated in the pulling away position hereinafter specifically explained.

. Figure 5 is a front elevation of the upper roll and the roll frame, the same being shown separated from the main or lower carrying frame.

' Figure 6 is an end elevation of Figure 5.-

Figure 7 is an end elevation similar to Figure 3 and illustraltes the manner in which the pressure lever lifter and the pressure hook are adjusted to permit reapplying I direction of the arrow 1, the adjacent end bearing, the power drive ear enclosure or casing and the gear shi ing or wringer control lever being shown in elevation the upper roll and roll carrying frame being removed.

Figure 12 is an end elevation of one of the end bearing brackets and illustrates a modified arrangement of the pressure applying means.

In the practical development of my pres ent construction of wringer mechanism, the lower roll carrying or main frame 1 includes a housing 1, at one end, when the said wringer mechanism is especially designed for use in connection with a power driven clothes laundry or washing machine, for example of the type illustrated in my copending application, Serial No. 332,532, filed on even date with this application.

The housing 1 has a pendent hub 1 and the latter is adapted for being clamped onto a revolving pipe that constitutes the wringer support 2 and which is mounted on the washing machine frame in any suitable manner, for example as illustrated in my copending application before referred to.

5 designates a wringer bearing for the outer end journal 60 of the lower wringer roll 6 whose other end journal 61 engages a hub bearing on the inner face of the housing 1, extends into the said housin and carries a suitable gear adapted for being coupled with shiftable clutch gears slidably mounted on a power driven shaft 20 that extends up within the tubular support 2 and to which power may be applied in any desired manner,

4 designates, what I term, the wringer control lever which, when at the midway position shown in Figure 11 holds the transmission devices out of mesh with the drive gear on the lower roll shaft and, when turned in one direction, it couples up the transmission devices to impart rotation to the lower wringer roll in one direction, and when turned to the opposite direction, it sets the transmission devices to impart rotation to the wringer roll 6 in the opposite direction.

10 designates a pressure lever pivotally mounted, at one end, on the end bearing 5 and 10 designates a like pressure lever pivotally connected to the inside face of the housing 1, as shown.

The pressure levers 10, 10 are each pro vided with a bushing socket 12 and in the said sockets, when the parts are in their operative assemblage, fit the bushings 16 on the opposite ends 70, of the upper roller shaft 7, as is best shown in Figures 2 and 5.

Each pressure lever is formed with a pressure hook 11 and with an outwardly extended bearing arm 10*. The arms 1O are each apertured to receive an adjustable screw hanger that constitutes the upper connections for the extensible pressure springs 8 whose upper ends connect with the pressure hand adjusting wheels 9--9, as shown.

The lower ends of the springs 8 connect each with a bracket 81-that is bolted to the lower end of the bracket 5 and to the inner end of the main frame 1, as shown.

By connecting the tension springs 8 to the main frame and to the pressure bars 10-10, as shown and described, the down pressure of the upper wringer roll relatively to the bottom roll, may be readily increased or diminished to the desired requirements.

As clearly shown in the drawings,-the

pressure levers 10 and 10 are held in operative position above the lower wringer'roll 6 and they are pivoted to the main casting, on one side of the said roll (notice particularly Figure 2) and the pressure is applied to the levers at the opposite side of the roll by means of the retractile springs 8, it being understood the desired tension of the pressure springs 8-8 is provided for by a proper manipulation of the adjusting wheels 9. The levers 1010* and the parts on which they are mounted may be considered as a holding member for the frame which sustains the second or upper wringer roll 7.

The upper or second wringer roll 7 is carried in a separate frame, hereinafter termed the upper roll frame or second frame, and the said frame consists of a pair of opposite end castings 1313 connected by a cross or bridge portion 13, the latter adding rigidity to the said upper frame and serves as a means for protecting the fingers of the hand that grasps the handle 14 connected to the bracket-like inner ends of the castings 1313, as shown.

Mounting the upper roll 7 with its opposite shaft ends 7070 journaled in the open socket bearings 1212 and providing the Dressure levers 1010 with the pressure hooks 11, overhanging the sockets 12, as shown. it follows that pressure applied to the said shaft ends 70--70 holds the upper roll 7 and its frame under the required tension against its companion or lower roll 6.

An important advantage gained by carrying the upper roll in a separate frame and adapting it for being held under the desired tension, to effect, with its companion roll the required wringing function, is, that the said upper roll is so held that in case of the clothes becoming entangled or an accident happening to the clothes laundry or washing machine, the said upper roll frame and its attached roll 7 may be instantly entirely freed from the wringer frame, by applying a quick push or pull on the handle 14 in the direction of the arrow y on Figure 4.

In my said construction of wringer, an effective means, simple of operation, is provided, whereby the upper wringer roll and its frame may be easily assembled or reapplied for coacting with the without disturbing the pressure adju'stingi wheels 9.

For such purpose, pressure lever lifter cams 19-19 are pivotally mounted, one on each of the shaft ends -61 with their cam faces 19-19 in position to engage the heel members 10 on the pressure" levers 10 and 10.

By arranging the levers 10-10 and the cam lever 19 as shown, to release the pressure of the levers 1010, it is only neces-- sary to swing them up in the direction of the position shown in Figure 7, therelby making the pressure release so simple t at a lady will not hesitate to use it, since the operator will become quickly accustomed to the use of the release and naturally know how to use it in an emergency.

When the pressure lever lifters or earns 19 are at the position indicated in Figure 7, the operator, after having pulled the upper roll and its frame away from the other wringer roll, as before stated, can conveniently return the said upper frame and the roll 7 back to the operative position, the hooks 1111 being, at this time, lifted sufficiently high to allow the journalsor ends 70 of the shaft of the roll 7 to again seat in their socket bearings 12, it being understood after the upper roll 7 is replaced to the operative position, the pressure levers 10---10 with their hooks 11-11 are restored to the normal or operative position by turning the cam levers 19 down to the full line position shown in the several Figures 3 and 4.

The flexible pressure devices as described and shown also permits of handling any thickness the wringer will handle or to the capacity of the roll cogs, this being provided for by the expansion of the springs 8.

17-17 designate cog shields attached to the upper roll frame and 1717 are stops on the said shields that limit the swing of the handle carrying or yoke frame.

It is to be noted that while pressure is preferably applied in my wringer by means of springs as described and .shown, other means could be used forthe same purpose (for example as shown in the modified construction Figure 12) without materially departing from the main principle of my invention.

In the modified form shown in Figure 12, springs 8 are shown as mounted about the stem of the adjusting wheel 91, which includes a. collar that bears on theupper end of the spring 8, the lower end of which, in this form of my invention, seats on the pressure lever 10.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the complete construction, the manner of use and the' advantages of my present 4 lower roll and invention will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art to which my said inven-- tion relates.

WhatIcla-imis:

1. In a clothes wringer, arelatively stationarily held primary wringer .roll, pressure levers having bearing. elements, a second wringer roll having a shaft adapted to be received by said bearing elements, ten s1on means for applying force to said pressure lever and ten ing to hold said wringer rolls in pressure contact, and means for operatively connecting and disconnecting said second wringer roll to and from said pres-'- sure lever.

2. In a wringer,in combination, a pair of rolls, supporting bearing elements for sustaming said rolls, tension means to resist separation of said bearing elements, and means to operatively engage or disengage one of said rolls from its bearing element without decreasing the tension of said tens1on means.

3. In a clothes wringer, a relatively stationary wr1nger roll, a second roll, "a member havin bearing elements to carry said second r0 1, pressure applying devices for holding said second roll under tension against said relatively stationary roll and including elements for receiving, the shaft of sand companion roll, and connections between said elements and said second roll holding means, in virtue of which the said second roll may be engaged and disengaged fromsaid elements without decreasing the tension of said tension means.

4 In a clotheswring'er, a support, a first wrmger roll mlounted on said support, a frame, a second roll carried by said frame, means for operatively holding said frame with its wringer roll in operative position over the first wringer roll, said holding means including pressure applying devices for mamtaamng the said ame in position and including a part to which said frame is releasably connected for allowing instant disconnection of said frame from said holding means for the purposes specified.

5. In a clothes wringer, a main frame, a

power driven roll mounted thereon, a second frame, a wrmger roll carried by said second frame, means for operatively holding the said second frame with its roll in operative position over the power driven roll, said holding means including pressure l i devices for maintaining the second frame in operative position, said second frame adapted for being instantly disconnected from said Pressure pplying devices to release said second mentioned wringer 11,

and other means for opposing the action'of said pressure applying devices to permit of reconnecting'said second frame with said holding means to again bring the second mentioned wringer roll to its operative posi- Lao tion with relation with the power driven roll.

6. In a clothes wringer, a first wringer roll, asecond wringer roll, means for holding said second roll in operative position above the first roll, said means including a holding member and a releasable connection between said second roll and said holding member which is adapted to instantly disengage said second roll from said holding member.

In a wringer, a wringer roll, a second roll, a carrier for said second roll, means for operatively mounting said second roll carrier to hold said second roll above the first mentioned roll, said mounting means including devices for applying pressure to said rolls and including means adapted to permit of instantly disconnecting the second roll carrier from said mounting means.

8. In a wringer, a wringer roll, a second roll, means for mounting said second roll above the first mentioned roll and means to apply pressure to said second roll, levers to raise said mounting means so that the second roll can easily be placed into operative position above the first mentioned roll.

9. In a wringer, a relatively stationary wringer roll, a support for said roll, a frame, a wringer roll mounted in said frame, means for mounting said frame on said support to locate the second mentioned wringer roll above said first mentioned wringer roll, said mounting means including a releasable connection adapted for instantly releasing said frame, whereby said second mentioned wringer rol may be released from itsonerating position with respect to the said firstmentioned wringer roll, substantially as shown and described.

10. In'a wringer. a wringer roll, pressure levers located at the ends and above the shafts of the said wringer roll, means for applying pressure to said levers, a second roll and quickly releasable means to operatively connect said second roll to said pressure levers.

11. A main frame and a lower wringer roll mounted thereon; a second frame, an upper wringer roll mounted thereon, pressure levers located at the endsand above the shafts of the lower wringer roll and hinged, at one end, to the main frame, means for applying pressure to the said pressure levers and other means that couple up the second roll frame with the pressure levers.

12. A main frame, a lower wringer roll mounted thereon, a second frame, an upper wringer roll mounted thereon, pressure levers located above and at the ends of and transverse to the wringerrolls and pivoted at one end to the main frame, pressure springs with adjusting devices for applying pressure to the pressure levers and devices for opposing the tension on the pressure levers to allow the second frame and the upper roll to be operatively coupled up to said levers.

13. In a wringer, a main frame, a lower wringer roll journaled in said main frame; the second frame having bearings, an upper wringer roll journaled in the said bearings, the said second frame including a handle, means for operatively connecting the second frameto the main frame and adapted for holding the said second frame in practicallyan upright position and to permit of a quick release of said second frame from the main frame, when the said second frame is pushed to an inclined position.

14:. In a wringer, a. wringer frame, a lower wringer roll mounted thereon, a second frame, an upper wringer roll carried thereon, two pressure levers hingedly connected to the framing, tension spring devices including adjusting nuts, said devices being connected to the wringer framing and the said pressure levers, the pressure levers each including a socket and a hook adapted to receive and operatively hold the aforesaid second frame with its wringer roll above the first mentioned roll and admit of quickly releasing the same, when the second frame is pushed to an inclined position.

15. In a clothes wringer, a main frame, a

wringer roll journaled thereon, two pressure ers each provided with a bearing socket and a hook, the hooks overhanging the sockets in their respective levers, a tension spring device for each lever connecting the free ends of the levers and the main frame, a second frame including a handle that extends lengthwise between the opposite ends of the said second frame, a wringer roll carried on the second frame and having end journals for engaging the socket bearings in the opposite pressure levers, said second frame being transversely swingable relatively to the wringer roll and provided with locking members adapted for coengaging the hooks on the pressure levers, when the handle is at the vertical position and for being pulled from engagement with the said hook, when the handle is swung backward, whereby to separate the second frame and the roll carried thereby from the main frame and the first mentioned roll.

16. In a clothes wringer wherein is provided a lower roll carrying frame and upper roll carrying levers hinged to said frame with spring tension devices for drawing said levers toward the frame, said levers having bearing sockets for the shaft ends of the upper roll means for operatively holding and releasing said upper roll with regard to its bearin in said lever without decreasing the tension of said tension means.

17 In a wringer wherein is provided upper and, lower rolls and tension means for holding said rolls in engagement, said tension means including hinged levers and tension springs; a supplemental roller carrying frame for the upper roller and connections between said supplemental frame and said tension means for effecting a mechanical connection and disconnection between said supplemental frame and said tension means whereby, when disconnected, said upper roller may be bodily removed from the wringer.

18. In a wringer wherein is provided a main frame for sustaining the lower wringer roll, levers hinged to the main frame having bearing sockets for the upper wringer roll and tension means co-operative with said levers for holding said rolls in pressure contact; means operative, when in one position, for holding said upper roll in the lever bearings and, when moved to another position, for disconnecting said upper roll from the lever hearings to release the pressure on the upper roll.

19. In a wringer wherein is provided a main frame for sustaining the lower wringer roll, levers hinged to the main frame having beari'ng'sockets for the upper wringer roll, and tension means co-operative with said levers for holding said rolls in pressure contact; means operative, when in one position, for holding said upper roll in the lever bearings and, when moved to another position, for disconnecting said upper roll from the lever hearings to release the pressure on the upper roll, said means comprising a supplemental carrier for the upper roll and engaging elements between said carrier and said levers which, when said carrier is in one position, will hold said upper'roll in premure contact with said lower roll and, when swung to another position, will release the same, substantially as shown and described.

WILLIAM HAROLD HUENERGARDT. 

